117 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
117 lines
3.7 KiB
Plaintext
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The Leidenfrost Effect
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Oh boy, can you have a lot of fun with
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this. The Leidenfrost Effect is
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something you've probably already seen
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in your own kitchen. Have you ever
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gotten a skillet or pan so hot that when
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droplets of water hit it they just bead
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up and dance around before finally
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evaporating. This is the Leidenfrost
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Effect.
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Basically, what happens is that because
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of the high heat, some of the liquid is
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vaporized and creates a sort of barrier
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between the heat source and the liquid.
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Here's a great way to have fun with
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this. The next time you are at a party
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or gathering where cold beverages are
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being served, find a smoker. Press your
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thumb or finger tip against the side of
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your ice cold glass or can (it should be
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cold enough that it sweats [condenses].
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Then take the lit cigarette and hold it
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by the ends between the thumb and middle
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or index finger of the same hand. Be
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sure to put the lit end on the finger or
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thumb that was pressed against the cold
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glass. You will be able to hold it for
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several seconds without discomfort or
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damage. When it starts to warm up, grab
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it quickly and watch the look of
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amazement on people's faces.
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You do have to be careful not to hold
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the cigarette for too long, but once you
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try this once or twice, you'll know just
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how long to hold it. You can play the
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patter up on this and tell them how you
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are immune to pain, or you spent some
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time with a fire worshipping tribe in
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New Guinea or something. Use your
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imagination. It can be most impressing.
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Act casual, but be aware of the passage
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of time. Get your point across in just
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a few seconds and "leisurely" remove the
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cigarette from your fingers.
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You can get away with this a number of
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times at the same gathering if you are
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suave enough. Just don't be obvious
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about your fingers and the glass. This
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shouldn't be any problem since you will
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probably be drinking something yourself
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and you have to hold it anyway. Just be
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careful that your drink doesn't get warm
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or empty just before you are asked to do
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this in front of an unbeliever.
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I have personally made some nice EZ
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money betting people I could do this at
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bars, parties etc.
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Variation
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Press the same glass against the pad of
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flesh just below the thumb and you can
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now put out a cigarette on the "palm" of
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your hand. Again, just be aware of the
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passage of time. Extinguish the
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cigarette quickly but make it LOOK
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leisurely. Tell people you spent some
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time in Hawaii where the people
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understand fire.
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It's this same effect that enables you
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to snuff out a candle with your fingers,
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place a lit match in your mouth without
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burning ( or a lit cigarette, lit end
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first). I once won $300.00 in a little
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bar in New Mexico by betting that I
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could hold my hand over one of those
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candle containers with a lit candle
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until the candle went out. These are
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the type shaped like a small fish bowl
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with the candle inside. They are almost
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round, with a small opening at the top.
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The theory was that if you sealed the
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top well enough, the air would burn up
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and the flame would go out. Everyone
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else tried unsuccessfully and the pot
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grew a little more each time, I sat with
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my hand wrapped around a frosty bottle
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of Dos Equis. When my turn came, I used
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every advantage I could think of. My
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palm was moist and cold, creating an
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airtight seal, but I also squeezed hard
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on the top, forcing some air out. Just
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when I thought I couldn't stand it
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anymore, the flame grew tiny and died.
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Three hundred bucks for a few seconds
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effort is pretty good money. Needless
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to say, I bought a few rounds for our
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table. Always be a gracious winner.
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Also be aware that three grown men
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burned the hell out of their hands
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trying to do this.
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- END FILE -
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